Sunday Baking ~ Lady Grey Tea Loaf

A nice light and fruity tea loaf made with simple ingredients, perfect for Sunday afternoons:

Lady Grey Tea Loaf

300 ml strong black tea (lady grey/Earl Grey are nice for this)
300g mixed dried fruit (anything you have to hand, raisins, sultanas, apricots, dates, cranberries etc)
25g mixed peel
60g soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons soft butter.
2 eggs, beaten
275g plain flour + 2.5 teaspoons baking powder, sifted together
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons honey to glaze

Oven preheated to 170 deg.

First brew the tea, then pour into a pan and add the fruit. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat, stir in the sugar and butter and let it cool.

Line a loaf tin with non stick baking paper.

Add the beaten eggs to the fruit mixture. Mix together all the dry ingredients and sift into the fruit mixture, stir in gently but thoroughly, try not to overwork the mixture.

Pour into the tin, smooth the surface and bake for 50 mins- 1 hour. It will be well risen and nicely browned on top, it should feel springy in the middle when you poke it with your finger.

Leave it to cool in the tin for 30 mins then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Warm the honey and brush over the top of the cake.

It will keep in an airtight container for a week and will stay nice and moist. Delicious plain or spread with butter.